When it comes to boxing, it’s one sport that’s not for the “feint” of heart (see what I did there?).

Far from just being a physical game, it’s a mental one as well – the training an amateur to professional boxer endures is a testament to that.

On the flip side, while training your mind to be strong is the best way to unlock your physical strength, more often than not it’s smart to nourish your body when putting such taxing demands on it.

Every smart boxer (especially one that serves in the military and boxes competitively) knows that nutrition is critical to keeping your body strong and primed for a fight – but how many know about supplementation?

I don’t advocate having a laundry list of supplements, but there are a few select ones I believe in through time tested years of use and research.

If you’ve never heard of Beta-Alanine, or you’ve heard of it but aren’t quite sure what it does, put simply it’s a naturally occurring beta-amino acid. It’s also a powerful antioxidant with a host of benefits (which both nutrition books elaborate on).

But for this post let’s focus on one – punching power.

Anyone who’s sparred or hit the heavy bag hard and often can tell you that punching is an exercise that requires high intensity muscle performance.

They can also tell you that a good punch is more than a result of having a “strong arm,” understanding that there are several movements with muscles and joints which make for a punch which packs some serious power (explained in detail in my Gym In A Bag Workout Guide).

Punching also taxes the body at an incredible rate, as speed and strength are what make a punch powerful, meaning training for both is important, thus making boxing one of the top sports for conditioning and fat loss.

When you’ve reached a plateau in your boxing training, Beta-Alanine can contribute towards getting you over that hump. While our body naturally creates Beta-Alanine, the rate at which it’s used during an intense session can often outweigh our body’s rate of production.

What’s great about this amino acid as a supplement is, there’s been enough research done on it that shows consistent benefits of taking it in conjunction with doing high intensity training.

One such study was performed in the UK, which had evidence that supplementing with 6 g/day of Beta-Alanine (that’s 1.5 g, 4 x a day), increased amateur boxer’s punching force by an incredible rate of 20 times, and punching frequency by an impressive 4 times, in comparison to a placebo used on other participants in the study (Donovan et al, 2012).

It’s important to note though that this only works during real high intensity.

So naturally, it makes sense to supplement with Beta-Alanine in serious boxing training (none of this boxercise business), because the average training round is anywhere from 2-3 (sometimes 4-5) minutes depending on level of conditioning, with a 1 minute rest time, making the benefits of this amino acid really shine through.

You can take it during your workout as part of your intra-workout nutrition, or anytime of the day, as long as you pair it with Taurine, as Taurine serves as an antagonist to balance things out.

Taking Beta-Alanine without Taurine would mean having to cycle off of Beta-Alanine, as if you’ll remember, it’s serving as a booster to what’s already naturally occurring in your body.

Taking too much of either one causes neurological and neuromuscular decreases in performance tests – so everything in moderation.

While I wouldn’t recommend using the same amounts as in the case study, I’d recommend starting with 2 grams per day, with 2-3 grams of Taurine, then dialling into whatever works for you. A great place to get Beta-Alanine is from Bulk Powders.

These work verywell in conjunction with my workout guide, SUPP UP. No Bull, Gym In A Bag Workout Guide, which provides guidance on the best portable workout equipment to own, a breakdown of how muscles are and can be effectively worked, and customizable workout plans. If you haven’t already check it out now, either in paperback or as an e-book.

Drop by next week for yet another great post to add to your workout and nutrition arsenal.

Stop doing guesswork, start making the necessities of your life easier.